PLSC 1: Exam 5

Voting Rights Act of 1965

banned racial discrimination in voting: literacy tests & voter suppression tactics

Civil Rights Act of 1964

outlawed segregation & discrimination in public places, jobs, & voting —> created EEDC to enforce fair employment —> Title VII banned sex-based discrimination

Shelby v. Holder (2013)

VRA oversight restrictions & states gained more control over voting laws

Motor Voter Act (1993)/National Voter Registration Act (NVRA)

citizens are automatically registered for voting when applying for driver’s license or social security benefits

Voter Registration Process

determines eligibility & location —> some states use government ID or an online process

Voter Requirements

name, address, party ID, must live in the state 30 days before registering, & closed primaries require party changes to be noted far in advance

Who is Less Likely to Vote in an Election

those with less education & lower income, age (older>younger), race (white>black>asian>hispanic), & gender (women {also lean more democrat]>men)

Open vs. Contested Seat

no incumbent & enough seats for everyone to be voted in vs. incumbent & not enough seats for everyone to be voted in

Open vs. Closed Primary vs. Top Two (Jungle) Primary

any voter can vote for a party’s nominee vs. only registered party members vote for nominee vs. all candidates compete together —> top 2 advance & they can be from the same party

Coattail Effect vs. Reverse Coattail Effect

president is successful —> their party more likely to get voted in during midterms vs. president is unsuccessful —> president’s party is less likely to get voted in for midterms

Campaigns

voter focus, campaign ads, negative/outside ads, & mobilization

5th Amendment

prevents federal government from committing unjust discrimination

13th Amendment (1865)

abolished slavery

14th Amendment (1868)

guaranteed citizenship, due process, & equal protection under law (civil liberties) —> unequal treatment only allowed if it serves important public purpose (safety, age limits, etc.)

15th Amendment (1870)

prohibited denying the right to vote based on race/previous condition of servitude

19th Amendment (1920)

gave women the right to vote

24th Amendment (1964)

banned poll taxes in federal elections (extended to all elections in Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections in 1966)

Key Questions for Civil/States Rights

-Which group is facing unfair treatment?

-Which rights are being denied/limited?

-What actions can the government realistically take to ensure fairness?

Court Tests for Judging Discrimination

rational basis test —> government must have reasonable cause (ex. ban for blind people driving), intermediate scrutiny —> gender/sex must be substantially related to an important government goal, & strict scrutiny —> race, ethnicity, religion, & national origin; government must prove compelling reason & be least discriminatory option

Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857)

black people were not US citizens & Congress could not limit slavery in new territories —> Civil War (1861-1865) —> President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation (1863) —> declared freedom for enslaved people in rebel states

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

upheld racial segregation for decades under the disguise of “separate but equal”

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

overturned Plessy v. Ferguson & determined separate schools are unequal

Civil Rights

government guarantees that people will be treated equal under law, especially those who have faced discrimination

Civil Liberties

limit government power to protect freedoms (ex. cruel & unusual punishments)